Medical Residency & ERAS Headshots That Meet Every AAMC Requirement
Professional medical residency headshots for ERAS applications, photographed in Metro Detroit.
Trusted by medical students from:
- Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
- Wayne State University School of Medicine
- Trinity Health St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
ERAS Headshot Session
$225
Includes your professionally retouched headshot
$75 deposit reserves your appointment
Remaining $150 due at your session
What’s Included in Every Session
✔ Professional studio session
✔ Expert posing guidance — natural, confident expression
✔ Professional retouching (skin tone, lighting, fine details)
✔ ERAS-compliant formatting, ready to upload
✔ 48-hour delivery (same-day option available)
✔ LinkedIn / professional crop included
Includes retouching, ERAS formatting & full-resolution version
Why choose Hugh Anderson Photography?
- Hundreds of professional headshots photographed each year
- Trusted by medical students from leading Michigan medical schools
- Every file formatted to AAMC ERAS specifications
- Professional coaching for natural expressions
- Bloomfield Hills studio with convenient parking
- Full-resolution image included for LinkedIn and future professional use
Why Your ERAS Photo Matters
Your headshot is the first impression you make on program directors.
A great one helps them remember you. A forgettable one… doesn’t.
We specialize in polished, natural-looking portraits that radiate confidence and meet all ERAS formatting requirements. Sessions are held in our Bloomfield Hills studio.
Medical students applying for residency consistently tell me that expert guidance and correct ERAS formatting helped make the process easier.
What to Expect from Your Medical Residency Headshot Session
- Quick and Efficient. Our sessions are designed to be seamless and stress-free.
- Professional Guidance. We’ll coach you through posing and expressions to ensure you look your best.
- High-Quality Editing. Each image is carefully retouched to meet ERAS specifications.
- Convenient Packages. Choose from individual sessions or discounted bulk sessions for groups.
Tips for a Perfect ERAS Photo
- Wear professional attire, typically a suit or a blouse.
- Keep makeup and accessories minimal and natural.
- Maintain good posture and a warm, confident expression.
- Get a good night’s sleep to look fresh and energized.
Book Your Medical Residency Headshot Today
Ready to capture a headshot that makes a lasting impression? Whether you’re applying for residency or fellowship, we’re here to help. Contact us now to schedule your professional ERAS photo session. Group discounts are available for friends, classmates, or medical organizations!
Bonus!
In addition to your ERAS-prepared headshot, you will also receive the full-resolution version and a LinkedIn-prepared crop.
What should I wear for a medical residency headshot?
Stick with professional attire in solid, neutral colors like navy, black, or charcoal. Avoid patterns, logos, or bright colors. Blazers or structured tops work best. For men: a collared shirt with or without a tie. For women, a modest neckline and simple jewelry. Clean and pressed always wins.
Do I need to know how to pose?
Nope. I’ll guide you through everything. I use small, natural pose coaching to help you look confident and approachable without it feeling forced. You’ll be surprised how easy it is.
How quickly do I get my photos?
Standard delivery is within 48 hours. If you need them sooner, I offer a same day service.
Can I get both ERAS and LinkedIn versions?
Yes. Your session includes both the correctly formatted ERAS image and a full-resolution version prepared for professional use, including LinkedIn.
What if I don’t like how I look in the photos?
You will have as many images as you like to choose your final image from. Your photo should feel like you, on your best day. If you are unhappy in the end, we can refund your fee. Thankfully, it hasn’t happened before.
ERAS Requirements
Medical residency applicants using ERAS are required to submit a professionally formatted photograph along with their application. The photo must be accurately formatted according to the current AAMC residency guide specifications. Hugh Anderson Photography will provide you with a high-quality ERAS photo, fully prepared for you to simply upload with your application.
This is a very important detail. In a recent conversation with a client, they told me that a large national retail chain would take their headshot but would not prepare the file to meet ERAS requirements.
That seems to me like the restaurant saying they will supply your steak, but you have to cook it yourself. ERAS applicants probably don’t want to mess around with figuring out the required size, resolution, and maximum kilobytes that they have to achieve with their headshot image. That’s the photographer’s job, and that’s all dealt with at Hugh Anderson Photography.
Specifications that are required by the AAMC
- A 2.5 x 3.5-inch image
- A resolution of 150 dpi
- Total file size less than 150kb
- Neutral background
It’s really quite a small image, think driver’s license size. That of course isn’t the size we will start with – we will start with a high-resolution digital photograph, and reduce it to suit the ERAS application. That will give you a sharp, clear residency headshot.
But there are other places where you might like to use your headshot, and they will all likely require a better resolution. Check out the bonus below.
Related ERAS Resources
ERAS Photo Requirements Guide
Learn the current AAMC photo specifications, image dimensions, file size limits, and formatting requirements before your session.
Medical Residency & ERAS Headshots
See pricing, what’s included, turnaround times, and schedule your ERAS headshot session.
Preparing for Your ERAS Headshot
Your ERAS photo is an important part of your residency application, and a little preparation can help you look polished, confident, and professional. You do not need to know how to pose or what works best on camera before you arrive — I’ll guide you through positioning, posture, and expression throughout your session.
For clothing, simple professional attire usually photographs best. Solid or understated colors help keep the attention on your face, while very busy patterns can be distracting. A suit jacket, blazer, blouse, dress shirt, or other professional attire can all work well. If you are unsure between a few options, bring them with you and we can decide what photographs best.
If you are planning a haircut, consider having it done several days before your session rather than immediately beforehand. Facial hair should be groomed as you would normally wear it professionally. Makeup generally photographs best when it looks natural and familiar to you. If you normally wear glasses, you are welcome to wear them for your ERAS headshot.
ERAS Photo Requirements
ERAS residency application photos must be prepared according to the current application requirements. Your finished ERAS image is professionally cropped, sized, and formatted for submission so you do not have to resize or prepare the file yourself.
Your session also includes a full-resolution version of your portrait for professional use. This gives you a high-quality image for LinkedIn, hospital or university profiles, professional directories, and other uses beyond your residency application.
Because specifications can change, I prepare each residency application photo according to the current requirements rather than relying on an outdated template.
Want the technical details? Read my ERAS Photo Requirements Guide for information about image dimensions, file size, resolution, cropping, and other submission requirements.
What Should I Wear for My ERAS Photo?
Professional, relatively simple clothing is usually the safest choice for an ERAS headshot. Your clothing should complement the portrait rather than compete with your expression.
Jackets, blazers, dress shirts, and professional blouses all photograph well. Neutral and subdued colors are reliable choices, although you do not need to avoid color completely. The goal is to create a professional portrait that still looks like you.
Avoid choosing clothing simply because you think there is one mandatory “ERAS look.” There isn’t. We can select the combination of clothing, background, posing, and expression that presents you naturally and professionally.
What If I Don’t Feel Comfortable in Front of a Camera?
You are not expected to arrive knowing how to pose. In fact, many medical students I photograph tell me they normally dislike having their picture taken.
During your ERAS headshot session, I’ll coach you through small adjustments to posture, head position, expression, and smile. We can photograph several variations and review the results so that you are not simply hoping the photographer happened to capture the right expression.
The goal is a professional residency headshot that looks confident and approachable while still looking like you.
Are ERAS Headshots Retouched?
Yes. Your selected ERAS portrait is professionally retouched while maintaining a natural appearance.
Temporary blemishes, stray hairs, and other small distractions can be corrected, while skin texture and natural facial features are retained. The purpose of retouching is to produce a polished professional photograph — not to make you look like a different person.
What Background Should I Use for an ERAS Headshot?
A clean, neutral background keeps attention on the applicant and creates the professional appearance expected from a residency application photo.
Background choice can also depend on your clothing, coloring, and the overall look of the portrait. I’ll help you choose an option that works well photographically while ensuring your finished image is appropriate for ERAS submission.
ERAS Headshots in Metro Detroit
I photograph medical students and residency applicants from throughout Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan at my Bloomfield Hills studio, including students from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Medicine, and other medical programs.
Each session includes posing and expression coaching, professional retouching, an ERAS-formatted image, and a full-resolution professional version. Your files arrive ready to use, without needing to figure out the crop, dimensions, or formatting yourself.
Ready for your ERAS headshot?
Reserve your session today and arrive knowing your residency application photo will be professionally photographed, retouched, and correctly formatted for ERAS.
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